Life in Spain is about more than sunshine and siestas – it’s the little rituals that make each day special. From morning coffee in the garden and a chat at the gym, to long lunches in the town square and late-night tapas with friends, here’s what a typical day looks like according to our writer, Sally…
Waking up
It’s 8am and my day begins to the sound of life in Spain. Sometimes that means the alarm clock, and sometimes it’s the builders renovating the facade of a block of flats opposite my home. Generally, major building works are forbidden in August, especially near the sea, but that leaves construction companies without sufficient contracts, and so some projects proceed inland. I live four kilometres from the coast, and while it can be a little noisy, it’s also a sign of homes being upgraded and towns like mine improving and investing in the future.
It’s already 24°C but my garden is shaded, so I have a coffee outside while reading the day’s Spanish and UK news on my tablet. Today, there are several wildfires across Spain, which are so serious that the government has called in 1,400 soldiers to help the firefighters combat them. We have had two heatwaves this summer with temperatures in some parts of the country reaching 45°C, making the land ever more susceptible to fire. We are not alone, though. France, Portugal, Italy and Greece are experiencing much the same.
Luckily, where I live, it rarely reaches such extremes of heat, though this past week has been uncomfortably warm. I won’t go to the beach today as it will be far too hot and parking will be difficult as it is August and people from around the globe are here.
Off to the gym
I do weight training, mainly to keep everything working. I enjoy my visits to the training centre, owned by a charming young man who is very professional but who also has a great sense of humour. We are a mixed clientele: Irish, American, French, British, Argentinian, Catalan and Spanish. One hour is enough for me, so it’s back home for a shower and a change of clothes.
Time for a little shopping
It is getting hot now: 30°C. I will head to our shopping centre which has air conditioning, a café, various outlets, two excellent food shops, discount shops and a cycling centre. Esclat, a Catalan supermarket, was nominated as the best in Spain for meat by the consumer association, OCU. It regularly features in the top three for quality and service. The other Catalan food store, Ametller Origen, is also on-site and it specialises in fresh fruit and vegetables and fresh fish, but it has a good range of other essentials too.
A glass of wine and a bite to eat in the town square
Having put my purchases in the fridge, I will walk to the town square to meet friends for a glass of wine and a menú del día. The square is the soul of our town; it’s where everyone meets. There is live music on some evenings, children play happily and there are several eateries. Huge parasols keep us relatively cool and one innovative restaurant has outside fans which emit a fine shower of water in the air.
Since COVID, the menú del día has noticeably increased in price. Whereas before we would pay €12 to €14, now the same menu costs €15 to €20. It is still good value though, you get three courses, bread and wine (either a glass or carafe) or beer. It seems cheap compared to the price I have to pay when visiting the UK!
In coastal villages and towns, the prices are higher, particularly if you have a view of the sea. Having said that, there are some excellent restaurants dotted along the coast that are worth visiting, especially if you like seafood. Equally, there are some gems in the small villages inland. If you are planning on enjoying a meal in any of these, you need to book ahead, especially in July and August. Last week, a friend and I decided to visit a very good pizzeria located in a pretty square in a small inland village. The place is spacious with a very large terrace, but we were fortunate to get a table at 9:30pm, as they were practically full. People were still coming in at 11:00pm! The pizzas were good value and delicious.
I enjoy making tapas for friends in the evenings
Time for a siesta
After lunch, I take a short siesta for maybe 30 minutes. Doctors say that the optimum time for a siesta is 20 minutes. If you sleep for much longer, you are likely to wake up feeling foggy and tired. I don’t have air conditioning, but fans keep me cool without drying out the air. It is too hot to be outside at this time of day.
Preparing tapas
Some friends are coming round at 8:30pm for wine and tapas in my garden. I also have cava. I enjoy making tapas which require time to prepare.
On tonight’s menu are mushrooms in sherry and garlic, smoked salmon pieces on local cream cheese and bread rounds, red pepper salad, cucumber salad, a variety of local hams and cold meats, manchego cheese cut into fine triangles, quails’ eggs, halved and topped with either pesto or mock caviar and guacamole. It takes two to three hours to get all this ready, but it is made with love and from experience, I know there will be little left at the end of the evening.
Time to clear up and head for bed
It is 12:30 am and I just need to put everything into the dishwasher and tidy up a bit. To unwind, I will read for a while or watch a K-drama. I really enjoy Korean TV series and films, which Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, HBO and Viki have on their apps and all are available in Spain. But, of course, these apps offer a lot besides K-drama! There are some excellent Spanish series which you can watch with English subtitles to help you with the language, and I have to say that speaking Spanish has made my life of 19 years here in Spain easier and more enjoyable in every way.
Now it’s time to switch off the light and sleep….buenas noches!
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